In Berlin’s ever-evolving coffee scene, Son brings a quiet, thoughtful presence. A freelance barista and co-founder of 2gathercafe, Son blends curiosity, collaboration, and care into every cup he serves. Whether behind the bar at Café TonTon or brewing among vinyl records at Unkompress, his approach is slow, intentional, and rooted in connection.
Son didn’t take the usual path into coffee. He studied theology, dreamed of becoming a pastor, and stumbled into barista work through a side job in Munich. Since then, he’s built something deeply personal – a way to explore flavour, craft experiences, and invite others into the world of coffee without pretence.
What makes Son’s work stand out isn’t just his drinks and hospitality. It’s his way of seeing coffee as a shared moment, a medium for creativity, and a reason to gather & connect.
Son, what is your first memory with coffee?
I remember my dad used to brew supermarket coffee (green, ´premium´ packaging haha). He’d put one or two spoons in a big cup, pour hot water over it, let it settle, then drink it. I guess that’s why I like cuppings… I still remember the smell; it was so nice. But the taste never matched, haha.
What inspired you to engage in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What do you do besides coffee?
Coffee has always been a medium for me. I loved meeting friends at cafés. When I started learning how to brew, I saw all the small details baristas pay attention to—scaling shots, having recipes, and sensory work. I realised coffee represents so much more: it’s about taste, fruit, farmers, producers, traders, roasters, baristas, service… It’s a long chain, and I still don’t fully understand the whole picture.
Before coffee, I studied theology and wanted to become a pastor.
Tell us a bit about the places you work at. What are your roles there?
2gathercafe is my passion project, which I started in March 2024 with my good friend Long. We’d only met about half a year before that, but our views on coffee aligned—both how we enjoy it and how we want to serve it. These days, we run fun pop-ups. Sometimes we team up with friends who cook, but mostly we focus on crafting drinks or brewing coffees we’re excited about.
Right now, I’m at Unkompress (an easy listening bar) on weekends all summer. I like music, and for me, slow coffee + vinyl is a perfect match. I love sharing that experience.
During the week, you’ll find me mostly at Café TonTon, a new café in Berlin Mitte, where I work as a barista. I also do other pop-ups and freelance jobs like events and courses.
What kind of experience do you want your guests to have at 2gathercafe pop-ups?
Our menus are always changing. Sometimes we create new drinks using coffee as the main ingredient, other times we highlight origins or experiment with brewing styles—like cold drips or even Vietnamese Phin.
But at the heart of it all, it’s about bringing people together over a good cup of coffee.
What is your favourite part of working on events, and why?
Definitely the creative process – crafting tasty, exciting drinks. Sometimes we have no idea what direction we’re going in, and that’s part of the fun. For one pop-up, we even sourced and roasted our own coffee (with the help of friends). We love working with people; inviting friends who bake or cook, or featuring roasters we like or have built friendships with.
2gather has never been just about us – it’s about the people we work with. I’m so grateful for everyone who supports our journey, not just in coffee but also in helping us organise, run, or capture the events.
But the most fun? Creating a space where people can enjoy coffee and connect.
How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?
I’m surrounded by passionate and talented coffee people. These days, I’m learning a lot from cupping with others. It’s like learning to “listen” – how others feel about a coffee and how I experience it myself. Sensory can be intimidating, but the more I taste, the more I understand what I like (and don’t like).
I like working behind the bar too—being efficient and clean is something I always aim for. Workflow matters, but so does aesthetics. Clean latte art!
Brewing coffee is also about understanding the potential of a specific batch and finding a way to
make it shine. I usually brew it how I like it first, and go from there.
And how do you approach preparing recipes for pop-ups? What are they inspired by?
When we craft new drinks, we try to keep them seasonal, especially with fruits. The same goes for coffee. It’s a lot of tasting and trial-and-error. We’ve also been learning how to pre-batch drinks for bigger events, which can be tricky.
Funny thing is, we mostly use filter methods at our pop-ups. Most places we work with don’t have espresso setups. But filter coffee is super versatile—we’ve had a lot of fun with iced filter drinks now that summer’s here!
What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?
People often see coffee as just a commodity when, in fact, it holds much more value. I don’t drink coffee just to wake up, and I don’t need a fancy machine (with a cheap grinder) to make good coffee. A simple filter coffee can be gentle, complex, and full of character, not just a watered-down, bitter caffeine bomb.
If you slow down and listen, it can be truly exciting – and even better when shared.
What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Any you promote or want to see more of?
Signature drinks are definitely trending—people are getting more creative. I love cascara soda during summer. We also do a lot of foamy toppings, like on our coffee soda—fun, fizzy, and definitely eye-catching.
If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?
Coffee is a fruit.
It’s not always bitter or harsh—it can be gentle, sweet, and exciting. And one fruit can taste totally different depending on its variety, processing, growing conditions… and then also roasting and brewing.
What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?
I want to keep working on my craft. Sometimes I feel like our drinks are still too simple. That’s not necessarily bad, but I’d love to create a full menu, maybe pairing drinks with snacks.
I also want to do more cuppings—not just for myself but to invite others along on that journey.
Quick Fire Questions for Son Le Huu:
Filter coffee or espresso-based?
Filter coffee.
Milk coffee or black coffee?
Black coffee.
The most underrated coffee drink?
Irish coffee, maybe… ahah But honestly — manual pour-overs!
Tell me, which cafés are still doing them in Berlin?!
The most underrated coffee brewer?
Vietnamese Phin Dripper. It’s the perfect hybrid. A Kalita Wave paper fits perfectly, so you can use it as a flat-bed brewer – or traditionally, with a finer grind and attachments that slow the brew and keep the temp stable. I use it at Unkompress these days for pour-overs.
What brewing method do you use at home?
V60.
The number one place in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?
Humpback Whale Specialty Coffee in Munich.
Favourite city outside your own for a coffee tour?
Well, I definitely need to travel more!
